Caster.



A. BALLENBERG.

CASTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- ll, 1916.

Patented Sept. 5,1-9-16.

0 Z /n A 'vided by my invention,

ADOLPH BALLENBERG', OF YORK, N. Y.

CASTER.

specification of Letters raient.

Patented sept. 5,1916.

Application led March 11, 1916. Serial No. 83,478.

To all lwhom t may concern Be it known that I, ADoLPH BALLENBERG, a citizen of the United States,^and a resident of the city', county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new ,and useful Improvement in Casters, of which the following is a specification. me,

This ,invention'relates to casters and the like and particularly those devices designed for use in connection with articles of furniture and other articles, and especially articles having-hollow or tubular legs, to which the caster isapplied, and the object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which is detachable and regulatable to the varying sizes of tubular or hollow legs and which is held in position by device which I willdescribe below.

Another object of my invention is to provide a caster which is at all times held securely within the caster leg to avoid dropping or Jfalling ,out regardless of the varying sizes of thetubular or hollow legs and which isl provided with an improved bearing for allowing a free and easy rotation of the caster at all times.

These and other improvements are proa more particular description of which will appear below.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in whichv Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of my improved caster, surrounded by a tubular leg; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same partly 1n section showing the lcaster engaging with the tubular leg.

, Throughout the various views-of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar parts.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown a yoke member 1, having slde arms 2 preferably formed integral therewith, which side arms are connected together by a pintle 3, upon which is rotatively mounted the roller 4.

Above the yoke 1 is mounted a conical bearing 5 having four side ribs 6, upon which rests the lower end of the hollow or tubular leg, as will be described below. Extending downwardly -from the under surface of the bearing 5v is a stud 7, which may be formed integral with the bearing, and upon which is rotatively mounted the yoke 1, a washer 8 being placed between the upper a clamp surface of the yoke 1 and the under vsurface of the conical bearing 5 to minimize friction. A rod 9 extends upwardly through the stud 7 and bearing 5 and is rotatable therein. The retaining clamp comprises a pair of upwardly extending side arms 10 having their lower ends 11 bent' horizontally and overlapping one another, and extending toward the side arms 10. Each one of the horizontal parts 11 are perforated as at 12, which perforations'fit loosely over the rod 9 and allow the side arms 10 an outwardly pivoting movement, as will be described below.

The upper end of the rod 9 is screw threaded as at 13, and mounted Von said vthreaded portion and vertically movable lthereon is a conical plug 14, the upper ends of the arms 10 being bent horizontally and inwardly at 15 against the side of the plug 14. A head 16 is provided upon the upper end of the rod 9 to restrict the movement of the plug 14 on the rod and prevent the same from being moved off, as will be described below. A stop 17 is on the rod 9 to restrict the downward movement of the plug 14. A stop 18 is secured on the rod 9, and extending between said stop and bearing down upon the parts 11. is a spring 19.

From the foregoing, the"operation of my improved caster will be readily understood. A head 21 is provided on\ the lower end of the rod 7, which head is slotted as at 22 for the reception of a tool for turning or rotating the rod 9. f The turning of the rod causes the plug 14 to move up or down, as may be desired. By causing the plug 14 to move downwardly, the tapering sides of the plug force the arms 10 outwardly and cause the same to bear with force against the interior sides of the tubular or hollow leg 20,

as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, holding4 the caster irmly in the tube. It will be noted that when the side arms 10 are forced outward, this outward movement causes the parts 11 to rise upwardly against the tension of the spring 19 which resiliently resists this upward movement.

It will be noted from Fig. 3, that when a tubular leg of .cylindrical cross section is used, the side arms 9 bear against the sides of the leg 20 and contact therewith at four corners.

The leg 20 rests securely and firmly on the conical bearing, which because of its shape holds the leg upright and,I firm. By

' From the foregoing, it is obvious that my lnvention is not to be restricted to the embodiment herein shown, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the s ccpe of the annexed claims.

aving described my invention, what vIA l I wardly from the bearing, the lower ends of claim is:

l. A caster or the like comprising a roller, a mounting therefor, a bearing for a hollow le'g, a rod Aextending from said bearing, a clamp having a pair of arms, means movable on the rod for causing said arms to spread outwardly and resilient means bearing on a portion of said clamp and resiliently resisting the outward spreading movement of the arms.

2. A caster or the like, comprising a roller, a mounting therefor, a conical bearing for a hollow leg, a rod extending upwardly from said bearing, a clamp having a pair of arms extending upwardly from the bearing, movable means on the rod for spreading the arms outward and a spring for resiliently resisting the 'outward movement of said arms.

3. A caster or the like having a ribbed l conical bearing for a hollow leg, a rod ro' tatable insaid bearing and extending upwardly therefrom, a clamp having a pair of side arms extending upwardly from the bearing, movable means on the rod for expanding the Aarms outwardly and a spring contacting with a portion of said arms and resiliently resisting outward movement of the same.

4;. A caster or the like having a roller, a 'mounting therefor, a ribbed conical bearing, a stud on said bearing on .which the roller mounting is rotatively mounted, a rod extending through the conical bearing and upmesses Vwardly therefrom, arms extending upsaid arms being bent horizontally and resting upon the bearing, a` spring bearing downwardly on said ends, nd a plug movable on the rod and bearing against the upper end of the arms to cause the same to spread outwardly. v l

6. A caster or the like having a bearing, ribs on said bearing with their surfaces tapering inwardly toward the top of said bearing, a rod extending upwardly from said bearing, a conical/plug movably mounted on lsaid rod, a pair ofarms extending upwardly at the sid-es of the rod, parts on said arms'contacting with the movable plug and a spring exerting a downward pressure on portions of/said arms at their lower ends.

7. A caster or the like having a ribbed bearing, a rod extending upwardly from said bearing, a conical plug movably mounted on said rod, a pair of side arms extending upwardly at the sides of said rod, parts on the upper ends of said arms bent inwardly to contact with the plug, parts on the lower ends of said arms extending horizontally andl inwardly and overlapping one another, openings in said parts through which the rod extends,a spring surrounding the rod and exerting a downward pressure 

